that's the big question. but you askd probably the most the smartest question which is even if that's the case, even if we get downgraded, will people stop buying treasurys? on a relative basis, we may still look like not a bad debt at least. >> but the problem in that scenario is that the cost to the government of getting money, of the price you have to pay in interest to get the money that you need will go up. if we're talking about a problem that is rooted in a deficit, a federal deficit that has grown dramatically in the last few years, you're now going to make that worse by making borrowing costs for the government higher. the irony is if the net result of trying to deal with the deficit will be to make borrowing costs higher so that the deficit becomes bigger rather than smaller over time, everybody will have shot themselves in the foot. >> starting with you, jerry, do you see much going on behind the scenes, contingency plans, you know, what-ifs? especially here in washington? you start with washington